Bringing back the dark memories of children's deaths in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur in August, at least ten newborns have died in the state-run Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Medical College and Hospital in Barpeta since Wednesday morning. Two more newborns are reported to be in critical condition. All the newborns were admitted in the sick newborn care unit of the hospital.
The incident has sent shock-waves across the state. The parents who lost their newborns were seen crying and wailing inconsolably as medical staff members are trying to control the situation.
However, the principal-cum-chief superintendent of the college, Dr Dilip Kumar Dutta has denied any medical negligence. He stated that the deaths are due to a medical condition called birth asphyxia—deprivation of oxygen to a newborn during the birth process and lasting long enough to cause physical harm, usually to the brain.
He explained that the neonates succumbed to other factors including low birth weight, or due to delay in seeking treatment. Few mothers, he said, are also critically ill.
The state government has sent the Director of Medical Education and a consultant from the UNICEF to probe into the deaths at Barpeta. A team of doctors from the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) has been rushed to the hospital to support the doctors and take care of any exigencies.
On Wednesday, five newborns were reported to be dead and five more the next day. Most of the dead were from the Bengali-speaking minority community belonging to the very poor section of the society. Two-month-old infant of Aminul Islam of Shahpur and another girl-child of Hasina Begum of Dhubri were declared dead at 8 pm on Thursday.
“The newborns were born with extreme low birth weights like 1 kg, 2 kg and 2.2 kg. The mothers were also admitted late to the hospital, due to which proper monitoring of the mothers was not possible leading to the tragedy,” Dutta averred. He added, "The deaths are not due to the negligence of doctors. Unfortunately, we could not save them though we tried our best."
A wailing Aminul blamed the deaths on medical negligence. “How can so many babies die at the same time?” he asked. “They kept the condition of our child a secret. No information was given out except the news in the end. I have lost everything, nothing can bring back my child,” wailed Islam holding his dead child in his hands, as relatives and friends tried their best to console him.
State health minister Himanta Biswa Sharma said all the babies received proper medical attention but it was the critical nature of the cases that led to the tragedy. He also mentioned that some of the mothers were very young, barely twenty years old. " I talked to the doctors concerned on phone. They have categorically said that the babies could not be saved despite best possible care in the hospital. We have sent the Director of Medical Education and a consultant from the UNICEF to enquire into the reasons behind the deaths. Doctors told me they did their best,” Sharma said.
Additional deputy commissioner Bipul Saikia and additional superintendent of police Pankaj Kakati also visited the hospital on Thursday.
The Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Medical College and Hospital is the newest addition to the medical education scenario in the state. The fifth medical college in Assam, it was inaugurated in 2011. At present, there are ten doctors including six specialists. Congress MP and Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Ripun Bora demanded a "high-level inquiry and adequate compensation to the victim families".
Nazrul Islam, president of the influential KMSS (Krishak Mukti Sangram Samity) Barpeta, said, " This is a case of total failure of the health department in Assam. The deaths are due to doctors' negligence and poor management of the hospital. The senior doctors pass on their duties and responsibilities to the interns and junior doctors who are not equipped to deal with emergencies," he said. The KMSS also demanded Rs 10 lakh per family as compensation.
Interestingly, as per reports, 26 doctors have resigned from the hospital and three doctors have gone on “leave without information”, while nine took voluntary retirement in the recent past.
